The field of the invention pertains to archery equipment. The invention relates more particularly to an adjustment knob assembly utilizing a dual knob configuration which enables toolless hand adjustment and clamp-securing of an arrow deployment parameter of an archery bow.
It is appreciated that a wide variety of accessories and mechanical enhancements have been developed for use with archery bows and crossbows to improve accuracy, range, comfort, etc. Such accessories and enhancements typically enable custom adjustments of various deployment parameters, e.g. horizontal position of an arrow rest, to accommodate a wide range of preferences. Moreover, knob assemblies have been commonly used to effect adjustment of such deployment parameters as shown in representative U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,137,006, and 4,457,076.
In the ""006 patent, an arrow rest for an archery bow is shown having a rotatable rod assembly 28 mounted on an arm 20 for adjusting the horizontal position of a shuttle 29 carrying an arrow launcher support 32. One end of the rod assembly 28 has a knurled knob 30 rotatably operable for moving a shuttle 29 toward and away from the arm 20. The knurled knob 30 is fastened to a threaded member 34 which extends through a threaded hole in the shuttle 29. This arrangement causes horizontal movement of the shuttle 29 and an arrow launcher support 32 when the knurled knob is rotated. However a mechanism for temporarily securing the knurled knob 30 and the horizontal position is not provided to prevent inadvertent rotation of the knob and shifting of the horizontal position.
In the ""076 patent, an adjustable arrow rest is shown having a rotatable adjustment dial which adjusts the spring tension of a torsional coil spring. The adjustment dial has a pin 124 which may be selectably inserted into one of several threaded apertures which surround a bore 64 of a housing block 50. However, in order to make the rotational adjustments, the dial must be pulled in an outward axial direction to pull the pin out from a first aperture, the dial rotated to select a second aperture, and the pin reinserted into the second aperture by a second axial displacement of the dial in an inward direction. Additionally, a clamping screw is provided to threadedly engage one of the threaded apertures to secure the dial to the housing block. Perhaps the greatest problem with this arrangement, however, is the axial displacement of the dial in adjusting the spring tension parameter. Axial displacement of the adjustment knob has a tendency to produce in the user a sensation of imprecision. Moreover, in this arrangement, a user must perform multiple steps in making a single parameter adjustment, i.e. pull dial, select aperture, and insert pin in aperture. Moreover, due to the small head of the clamping screw, an additional tool, namely a screwdriver, would be required to secure the dial to the housing block.
In summary, therefore, there is a need for an adjustment knob device for use with archery bows which incorporates an axially fixed system of parameter adjustment, and which may be manually adjusted by hand without the need for adjustment tools or aids.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple and efficient adjustment knob assembly for archery bows and crossbows, which adjusts an arrow deployment parameter without axial displacement of an adjustment knob, so as to enhance the user""s sense of adjustment precision.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustment knob system which is adjustable exclusively by hand manipulation, without the need for additional adjustment tools.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a ball-bearing click-adjustment system which selects various angular positions of the adjustment knob without axial displacement of the adjustment knob.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a ball-bearing click-adjustment system with the ball-bearings protected from exposure to the elements to ensure reliable operation.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustment knob locking mechanism which utilizes the axially fixed configuration of the adjustment knob to produce a clamped engagement to lock-secure the adjustment knob at a selected angular position.
The present invention is for an adjustment knob assembly for selectably adjusting and securing an arrow deployment parameter of an archery bow. The adjustment knob assembly comprises a base block and means for mounting the base block to the archery bow. The base block has opposite inner and outer base ends, a base throughbore communicating between the inner and outer base ends to define respective inner and outer base apertures, and an index surface of the outer base end which surrounds the outer base aperture and which has at least two detent recesses thereon surrounding the outer base aperture. The assembly also includes a pivot shaft which is received for rotation within the base throughbore. The pivot shaft has an input portion adjacent the outer base aperture and an opposite output portion extending beyond the inner base end, with the output portion having means for selectably adjusting the arrow deployment parameter upon rotation of the pivot shaft. Additionally, the assembly has means for obstructing relative axial displacement of the pivot shaft in an outward direction from the inner base end to the outer base end. And finally, an adjustment knob is provided having opposite inner and outer knob ends, with the inner knob end adjacent the index surface of the base block and fixedly connected to the input portion of the pivot shaft for controlling rotation thereof. The inner knob end has detent means for resiliently-biasing between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the detent recesses. And the adjustment knob includes fastener means for retractably extending an abutment member from the inner knob end in an inward direction into press-engagement with respect to the detent recesses. In this manner, the adjustment knob is releasably secured to the base block by a clamping force produced by the press-engagement.